Traditional Fine Arts Organization
Institution Outreach Project procedure for phase six letters to museums focused on curators and educators
2015-2016
This procedure is for phase six of the Institution Outreach Project.
This is a two-part phase. Part one is designed to reach selected art centers, cultural centers, non-profit galleries and museums not previously contacted in American art museum outreach phases one, two and three. It also extends the Content Enrichment Project. Part two addresses art centers and museums that were contacted in American art museum outreach phases one, two and three.
Part one
1. Preparing the list
TFAO searches the Web for lists of selected art centers, cultural centers, non-profit galleries and museums in each state of the United States. Some lists feature museums and art centers, others include cultural centers.
2. Comparing consolidated list of institutions in a state with list of institutions previously contacted in American art museum outreach phases one, two and three
The proxy for the list of institutions previously contacted in American art museum outreach phases one, two and three is TFAO's index of institutional sources by State within the United States, Some institutions have changed their names, so use of this State index is important. Names of Web-listed art centers, cultural centers, non-profit galleries and museums found through Web search are first matched against the State index. If not listed in the State index, the institutions' websites are screened for: (1) existence of a special exhibit program, (2) coverage of American art. If the screening has positive results on both counts, new names are added to the part one outreach list.
4. Search for content, coding on part one list, and enrichment of Topics in American Art, as done in the Content Enrichment Project
After a list of new institutions is complete for a state, the procedure of the Content Enrichment Project is followed for each newly listed institution. Online American representational art exhibit content identification codes are:
REX:
RMO:
RNE:
3. Sending email letters and coding for recipients
After the Content Enrichment Project procedure is completed for an institution, the Institution Outreach Project phase two and three procedure is completed for it. Only certain staff member and department names are included as addressees in outreach letters. Appropriate addressees and their identification codes are:
Part two
1. List of staff email addresses from prior phases one, two and three letters
TFAO retained copies of all phase one, two and three letters sent to museums. The museum staff email addresses contained in these letters are reused for the phase six letters.
2. Preparing the template
TFAO has developed a letter template for phase six.
3. Protocol for preparing and sending emails
To begin the process of preparing a phase six email letter to be sent to a museum, the body of the letter with links and TFAO logo embedded in it, is pasted onto a blank new message. To prevent incomplete emails being sent, the body of the letter is pasted into a blank new message first, the subject line second, and then email addresses are added in the appropriate fields.
In each phase six email letter, all appropriate email addresses from prior phases one, two and three letters are copied and pasted into the primary addressee (To:) field
For the salutation, the words "Greetings from TFAO" is used. There are no personal names used.
There is always a bcc sent to for tallying, analysis and use in future follow up mailings.
There is only one email letter sent to each museum, even though there may be many addressees for it.
4. Special note for artists who have exhibited their work at museums:
Artists who have exhibited their work at museums are welcome to volunteer for outreach to staff members of museums. There are several benefits to artists beyond the satisfaction of bringing further awareness of TFAO's resources to museums. Artists will:
-- become further aware of museum directors and curators aligned with their artistic focus throughout the entire United States,
-- have the opportunity to share their website URL address underneath their name, bringing addressees further awareness of their work. For instance the signature block may read:
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